


Immortalized in Song and Poetry

by misura



Category: Quarters - Tanya Huff
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-20
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-12-17 20:42:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11859297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: Bannon does not enjoy his new popularity.





	Immortalized in Song and Poetry

"Is there anything you Bards _won't_ write a slaughtering song about?"

Benedikt considered trying to hide his grin, then decided it would be a futile effort. "Not really."

Bannon's expression suggested that this was not the response he'd been hoping for.

Benedikt shrugged. "We're a popular subject right now. Trust me, as soon as something more interesting comes along, they'll forget all about 'the bard who sang water and the assassin who got his breeches wet' - or whatever it is they've been calling us today."

_Of course, it might be a while. After all, it's not every day that someone crosses the ocean to a country no one in Shkoder's ever visited before._

_Or that a Bard uses his gifts to take a life._

Thankfully, most of the songs Benedikt had heard so far focused on the romance of it all - Benedikt, lost at sea, presumed dead; Bannon, despairing and then regaining hope as the kigh brought back their message of his pain. All of the country joining in the effort to get the second expedition underway as quickly as possible.

The happy ending. _Well, for me, at least._

"I've lived in this place for years and _now_ they decide to write songs about me?"

_Actually, I'm pretty sure The Assassin Who Fitted Through My Kitchen Window is about you, too._ No need to bring that one up, Benedikt judged. _It wasn't that popular anyway._

He shrugged. "Consider it a testimony to how good you were at your job. If you'd needed to defend their Majesties at daggerpoint from a group of assassins, I'm sure that you'd have gotten a couple of songs out of that, too. As it is, your security measures sufficed to keep them safe."

Bannon grunted. "Any royal bodyguard who needs to draw his blade in defense hasn't done a very good job. Mind, I did need to do a bit of convincing to get the proper number of Royal Guards assigned."

_That must have been a fun conversation for someone._

"Speaking of which, how is the search for your replacement going?"

"His Highness suggested that I might have better things to do with my time than concern myself with such matters." Bannon grimaced. "Why do you think I'm here, instead of there?"

"Thank you." _Happy to know spending time with me was only your second choice._

In truth, it wasn't as if Benedikt _wanted_ Bannon around him all the time. In spite of what everyone seemed to think, he was perfectly fine. He definitely didn't need a nursemaid. Or a bodyguard.

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe _I'm_ the one needing _you_ around? If only to reassure me that you're back here, safe and sound and not about to leave me behind again to go haring off on some insanely dangerous journey?"

"I didn't - " Benedikt started, then swallowed the rest of the sentence. "No," he admitted.

"Well, maybe it should."

_That's not fair. When did I ever - we barely spent any time in each other's company._ It hadn't kept either of them from developping feelings that went a great deal deeper than simple lust. _Still. It's not as if you going along was even an option._

Bannon looked at him, as if he knew exactly what Benedikt was thinking.

Benedikt swallowed and licked his suddenly dry lips. "And then you wonder why people write songs about you."

Bannon blinked. "What?"

"Come on. It's perfect. The tough as nails assassin who discovers true love and is turned into a big, overprotective softie who can't bear to let the object of his affection out of sight. How could any self-respecting Bard _not_ write a song about that?"

"Don't you dare. I'm warning you."

Benedikt's turn to be surprised, because he hadn't meant to imply - but then, he _was_ a Bard. He wouldn't even need to make anything up; he knew first-hand how he felt about Bannon.

"I'd like to see you try to stop me," he said. Bannon scowled, silently acknowledging the point. Which was that nothing and no one was able to stop Benedikt from singing whatever song he felt like singing.

_As long as I'm willing to pay the price. To kill, if that is what it takes._

"Stop you?" Bannon asked, having crossed the distance between them in what felt like the blink of an eye. "I was thinking more along the lines of a distraction. Or a bribe, maybe. If you're open to that sort of thing, of course."

"I'm a Bard. As a rule, we don't take bribes." In fact, Benedikt wasn't sure if anyone had ever tried. Bards offered their aid free of charge; who would need to bribe one?

"I used to be an assassin," Bannon said. "As a rule, we don't offer them."

Benedikt felt his cheeks heat. He assured himself that it was only natural, given the location of Bannon's hands. "So you're suggesting we both make an exception? Let me think about that for a while."

"How long's that going to take?" Bannon asked. "Should I leave?"

_No. Don't leave. Don't stop doing what you're doing._

"How about I tell you in the morning?"

"Done," Bannon said. "Good thing I already asked for some dinner to be sent up."

_Good thing I wasn't seriously planning to write a song about you._ Not that Benedikt thought that he could put his feelings for Bannon into words even if he set them to music.

_At least, not without risking having another dozen songs written about me in return._


End file.
